# Need a new word **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 14, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048 "2025-08-14T17:39:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/1 "2025-08-14T17:39:22Z")
I need suggestions for what to call this feeling: when you are unable to perform a task or get a device or function to work properly, and you ask someone for help. But as they attempt to perform the task/operate the device, you kind of hope that they fail at least once so that you don’t look so incapable. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/2 "2025-08-14T17:58:11Z")
Validation ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/3 "2025-08-14T18:05:48Z")
I don’t have a particular word for that. But I’d be inclined to say: not so easy, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/4 "2025-08-14T18:22:21Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Validation A good description. Maybe I’ll call it “Validationangst.” ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/5 "2025-08-14T18:28:39Z")
Co-validating failure. (two words) I can make that one German word if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/6 "2025-08-14T18:38:03Z")
I’d call it insecurity. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/7 "2025-08-14T19:07:51Z")
Agree. The feeling is “I’m feeling a little inadequate. I hope my savior doesn’t demonstrate to both of us that I’m a lot inadequate.” Truth is you’re not actually inadequate. You’ve just found some thing that you’re not a guru at. Or the darn thing really is broken / misbehaving somehow that’s far from obvious how to remedy. But if your goto reaction to any obstacle is “I’m inadequate”, then “false inadequacy” or “insecurity” are the words I’d use to describe that. ---
**Author:** ![Dorjan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dorjan/32/12440_2.png) [@Dorjan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dorjan)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/8 "2025-08-14T19:21:57Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I need suggestions for what to call this feeling: when you are unable to perform a task or get a device or function to work properly, and you ask someone for help. But as they attempt to perform the task/operate the device, you kind of hope that they fail at least once so that you don’t look so incapable. Face-saving schadenfreude? Since it’s already based on a German word you could add on to it - Gesichtswahrungs-Schadenfreude. or perhaps Mitstolperfreude 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/9 "2025-08-14T19:23:26Z")
Failidation. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/10 "2025-08-14T19:32:03Z")
I like that even more. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/11 "2025-08-14T19:36:37Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > I need suggestions for what to call this feeling: when you are unable to perform a task or get a device or function to work properly, and you ask someone for help. But as they attempt to perform the task/operate the device, you kind of hope that they fail at least once so that you don’t look so incapable. It’s _hubris_, or some similar word describing excess confidence in oneself. Not so much confidence that you don’t ask for help, but enough that it wounds your pride that another might be more competent. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/12 "2025-08-14T20:30:12Z")
Is there a word for when something seems to be broken, and you finally ask for help, so when you go to show them the broken thing, it magically fixes itself? I need a word for that. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/13 "2025-08-14T20:35:04Z")
Claimbroken, where you claim the article is broken but your claim is broken instead. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2025, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/14 "2025-08-15T01:20:45Z")
I call that “_lucky”_ ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2025, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/15 "2025-08-15T06:32:12Z")
Human ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2025, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/16 "2025-08-15T06:55:00Z")
Strategic incompetence. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/17 "2025-08-15T23:55:46Z")
Ingratitude. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/18 "2025-08-16T16:45:38Z")
Heh. Recently, the PTB at work have decided to task me with performing daily maintenance on a sorter on which I have had no training (or even an opportunity to observe a coworker performing it). After ONE session of rudimentary training, I have now been tasked with going solo on the maintenance action about ten times, and VIRTUALLY EVERY TIME, I still have to ask someone with more experience to assist me when a problem crops up. I promise I’m getting better at it, though. Although not more confident. Point is, I never feel inadequate when calling for assistance. If they want a CIOSS guru outta this guy, they can send me to Oklahoma City for a couple of weeks and have me trained. (They really shoulda tapped me for PMG when DeJoy announced his retirement. As the adage goes, _Those who can’t do, teach. Those who can’t teach, administrate._) ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/19 "2025-08-16T17:02:11Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Is there a word for when something seems to be broken, and you finally ask for help, so when you go to show them the broken thing, it magically fixes itself? “Dancing frog” ---
**Author:** ![xtenkfarpl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c2a13f/32.png) [@xtenkfarpl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xtenkfarpl)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2025, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048/20 "2025-08-16T18:20:32Z")
> [@Rebo](#): > > Is there a word for when something seems to be broken, and you finally ask for help, so when you go to show them the broken thing, it magically fixes itself? Gremlins. Maybe a bit old fashioned now. I think it was used by the UK radar boffins in WWII days… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/need-a-new-word/1022048.md?page=2)